Imported fruits enrich Chinese people's dining tables with affordable delights

Prices of imported cherries have recently been dropping in supermarkets, fruit retail stores, and fruit wholesale markets. Several fruit stalls have even started advertising promotions on imported cherries, catching the eye of consumers.

On Jan. 11, 2024, the average price of cherries imported from Chile with a diameter of over 32 millimeters in Beijing's Xinfadi wholesale market ranged from 96 to 100 yuan ($ 13.93) per kilogram. Cherries with a diameter of between 26 and 27.9 mm were priced at around 56 to 60 yuan per kilogram.

When imported cherries were ready for sale in China in November 2023, they were priced at an average of 240 to 300 yuan per kilogram. However, by the New Year's Day in 2024, the price had dropped to around 160 to 180 yuan per kilogram. The increased supply of cherries in mid-December 2023 resulted in a significant decrease in prices and a subsequent boost in sales.

A cold-chain worker packs a box of Chilean cherries at the Nansha port area of the Guangzhou Port in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province, Dec. 20, 2023. (Xinhua/Hong Zehua)

An employee of a fruit and vegetable supermarket in Beijing mentioned that the prices of imported cherries in their store have dropped by approximately 35 percent compared to the previous month.

The major reason for the recent drop in cherry prices is the large influx of cherries transported by sea, resulting in an ample supply in the market, according to Xue Furong, manager of a Beijing-based international trading company.

Xue noted that the prices of imported fruits tend to fluctuate significantly. Before the 2024 Spring Festival, cherry prices may still be influenced by factors such as quality and sales, leading to further fluctuations.

Zhai Tianchang, an assistant researcher at the Rural Development Institute of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said that with the increasing cherry production in countries like Chile and the decline in transportation costs, prices are expected to frequently decline.

In recent years, cherries and other imported fruits and fresh produce have seen a gradual drop in prices.

Xue, an industry veteran, has observed a significant increase in fruit imports in recent years, leading to multiplied sales compared to previous years.

Zhai said China's ongoing efforts to expand its opening-up help increase the availability of high-quality imported fruits and fresh produce at lower prices.

China's participation in the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) has strengthened industrial and supply chain connections, reduced regional trade costs, bridged supply-demand gaps, promoted diversified agricultural product supply, and facilitated further price reductions for imported fruits and fresh produce, said Zhai.

China and Chile signed a free trade agreement in 2005, and initiated the process to reduce tariffs on the goods trade in the latter half of 2006. In 2017, the China-Chile Free Trade Agreement was further upgraded, with 98 percent of the products enjoying zero tariffs.

"The robust trade cooperation between China and Chile not only meets the rising domestic consumption demands but also promotes agricultural development and job opportunities for Chilean residents," Zhai said.

This deepening trade collaboration has made it easier for cherries to enter the Chinese consumer market at more competitive prices, allowing Chinese consumers to savor imported cherries.